The year 2005 was the year the Godinez family and close relatives were put to the test as Rene Luis Godinez was about to die of liver failure.

The ordeal of battling liver failure started during the summer vacation with Rene’s family on July 5, 2005 in the island of Maui, Hawaii. The Godinez family, Rene (father), Shemayne (wife), Francesca (daughter) and Lorenzo (son) own a furniture store in Maui, where two families get together yearly to help in the summer sale of furniture and accessories. A few days into Rene’s vacation, his wife, Shemayne, noticed that his eyes were slowly starting to turn yellowish. Rene was of the belief that he must have contracted a hepatitis type of infection and decided on the 18th of July to seek medical help at Maui Memorial Hospital as the jaundice continued to persist at a more intense degree. Dr. Giron, the attending physician at the Maui Memorial Hospital informed Rene, after all necessary tests have been conducted, that he is experiencing liver failure secondary to cirrhosis. Dr. Giron offered to put Rene’s name on the list of transplant patients waiting for a liver donor. He explained that this was the only option left for Rene to save his life. Rene and family were totally distraught with this medical finding. Transplant was such a big word for them not knowing what to do and where to start.

The family decided to return home to the Philippines and seek medical treatment at a local hospital. The medical results revealed a 50% loss of liver function. Rene underwent local treatment for two weeks whereby he was being medicated through IV fluids in the hope that his liver would respond to traditional medication. To his dismay, his jaundice and ascites were getting worse due to the liver failure.

After two weeks of attempting to reverse Rene’s liver failure problem, his attending Philippine doctors finally admitted to him and his family that they have no more hope and no other alternative for his liver problem. They have asked his family to seek expert medical advice to save Rene’s life.

On July 29, 2005, Rene’s cousin, Jaime Godinez, informed the family of the miracle doctor, Dr. KC Tan of the Asian Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore, who could solve almost any problem related to liver. The family was ecstatic and very optimistic of Dr. KC Tan. Fortunately, Jaime was leaving for Singapore because his father-in-law, Mr. Louise Tabuena was in Gleneagles, brought all of Rene’s medical tests for Dr. Tan to study and determine the best course of treatment. Shemayne spoke to Dr. Tan over the phone to ask if Rene’s liver failure problem is solvable and Dr. Tan, full of confidence in his voice, responded with a resounding YES. That assurance and confidence lead to the trip to Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore.

On the 5th of August, 2005, Rene, Shemayne and Bernardo (Rene’s brother), arrived by ambulance at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore. Tests were immediately done to determine the plan of action for Dr. Tan. On the 6th of August, Saturday, Dr. Tan decided that a transplant was definitely needed. Dr. Tan explained that he was going to do a Living Donor Liver Transplant which meant a donor was needed. As if God had master crafted a comprehensive plan for Rene’s recovery, Bernardo, who actually traveled from Bangkok to visit and help his dying brother immediately volunteered, without hesitation, to be Rene’s donor.

Dr. Tan and his team wasted no time in stabilizing Rene’s condition before the transplant date of 22 August 2005. They managed Rene’s ascites, lowered his Bilirubin levels, addressed all his pains and nourished him for the almost 16 hour transplant surgery. Bernardo also had to go through a battery of tests to make sure his health will not be compromised during this life saving surgery.

On Sunday morning, the day before the actual transplant date, Dr. Tan explained to Rene that he wanted full cooperation from him in the ICU recovery room. Rene was totally overwhelmed with this statement of Dr. Tan as he had a dying patient in his hand and he was talking about seeing each other in the ICU recovery room after the surgery and demanding complete cooperation from his patient! All Rene could say was “WOW.” This is what you call a doctor with confidence and conviction to his profession. The team did a tireless 16 hours transplant with much success.

Rene stayed in the hospital for 30 days to make sure the transplanted liver adjusted well to his body. On his third of week of confinement, Dr. Tan, very pleased with his recovery told Rene and Shemayne, “I’m going to send you home Rene a new man!” This really uplifted their spirits and confidence of Rene’s full recovery. A week later, Rene was released from the hospital and moved on to stay in a serviced apartment in Singapore for further recuperation and monitoring by Dr. Tan.

Rene was allowed to go back home to Subic Bay the 1st week of November. All of Rene’s life, he loved the ocean and its marine life. This is primarily the reason why he decided to settle down in Subic. Rene and family spend the week-ends riding their boat and cruising Subic Bay. Rene’s bout with liver failure and his near death totally changed his perception in life. Life is very precious that one should and will do anything possible to stay alive no matter what the odds and the costs are.

Rene, in all of these, was very fortunate to have a loving wife in Shemayne, who tirelessly did everything to seek help for Rene, a self-less brother like Bernardo who risked his life to save his brother and most especially a doctor like Dr. Tan Kai Chah, whose expertise and talent enabled Rene to have a second chance at life and an insurance company like Interglobal Health Limited of New Zealand that helped in all the expenses that were incurred in Singapore from pre to post transplant procedure.